2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 4.2L Petrol · MH06 AJH

The defining mechanical story of this 2006 Range Rover Sport is one of accumulating chassis and brake line deterioration, layered on top of an active electrical and air suspension complaint. Across every recorded test from late 2023 through December 2025, the same trio of advisories appears with monotonous regularity: rear brake pipe corrosion, front anti-roll bar bushes worn at their pins, and rear upper suspension arm pins or bushes showing wear on both sides. In December 2025, a fourth related advisory appeared, namely front lower suspension arm pin or bush wear on both sides, suggesting the suspension linkage deterioration is progressing rather than stabilising. The single failure recorded on 22 November 2024 added a different dimension: an inoperative windscreen washer and an illuminated electronic stability control warning lamp, paired with an advisory that the air suspension cornering light was already on. While the subsequent December 2024 and December 2025 tests returned passes, the ESC and air suspension concerns first flagged in 2024 have not been definitively resolved on paper, and the recurrence of brake pipe and bush advisories indicates a vehicle that is being kept on the road through annual test passes but is steadily shedding its margin on chassis and braking components. At 136,143 miles over roughly twenty years, this Range Rover Sport has averaged around 6,800 miles per year, a rate that is broadly typical for its age and not suggestive of either long-term storage or particularly heavy use. The mileage progression implied by the test record appears consistent, with no obvious plate discrepancy or extended lay-up gap between annual tests. From a wear perspective, this kind of mid-range annual mileage on a vehicle of this vintage does not automatically condemn the drivetrain, but it does mean the recorded advisories reflect genuine mechanical ageing rather than simply low use masking underlying deterioration. The chassis, brake pipework, and air suspension system are all components that degrade progressively with age and exposure to road salt regardless of mileage, and the recurrence of the same advisories across consecutive years is consistent with a vehicle that is being driven regularly through the British winter. For a prospective buyer, the brake pipe corrosion advisory is the single most safety-critical item to investigate. A corroded rear brake pipe, even if currently greased over, sits in a vulnerable zone behind the rear axle and will eventually require replacement to remain road legal; during a viewing, ask when the pipes were last replaced or cleaned and inspect the line run along the rear axle and under the body for surface pitting, flaking, or any sign of active weeping. On the test drive, listen for a soft or spongy pedal feel and check that the handbrake holds on an incline, as weakened rear hydraulic circuits can present as a pedal that sinks under sustained pressure. The suspension advisories point to wear in the front lower and rear upper arms plus the front anti-roll bar bushes; expect to feel clonks or shudders through the steering wheel on uneven surfaces, vague or wandering directional changes at speed, and a slight lean or delay when changing direction sharply. The 2024 failure concerning the ESC warning lamp is particularly relevant, because the stability control system on this model works in conjunction with the wheel speed sensors, steering angle sensor, and the air suspension self-levelling system. If the warning lamp is illuminated again, have the fault codes read before purchase, as repairs on the air suspension struts, valve block, or compressor can run into four-figure sums on this platform. Finally, the air suspension advisory carried alongside the 2024 ESC failure warrants specific attention during inspection. Listen for the compressor cutting in excessively when the vehicle is started or after a few minutes at standstill, watch whether the car settles noticeably overnight or after sitting in the sun, and inspect the air springs at each corner for cracking, chafing, or oily misting which indicates a leaking strut. A scan tool check of the suspension module for stored fault codes, particularly relating to height sensors or the cross-link valve block, will clarify whether the 2024 advisory was a transient electrical glitch or an early sign of the air suspension failure that these vehicles are well known for. Given the age, the mileage, and the pattern of recurring chassis and brake advisories, this is a vehicle that should be approached with the expectation of imminent remedial work on the brake pipes and suspension linkages, and budget for that work should be set aside before committing to purchase.